Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween Help: A Running Costume

It's Chicken Run at the Trick or Treat Trot.
Apparently I'm really bad at wearing anything but my usual running outfit at a running race. The running outfit itself may change from year to year--a swapped tank here, a new pair of shorts there, and an added layer when necessary--but still, I'm hard to sway from my usual shorts/capris, tank, sports bra and pullover. And of course, my socks (unless it's a marathon) and shoes.

Take last week's Homecoming 5K where runners were encouraged, told even, to wear gear sporting their alma mater. Me? I wear my usual #FFCheer tank and shorts, tossing arm warmers and a jacket in my bag in case I got cold (but thanks to overdressing on my bike ride to the race start, I was more than happy to lose the layers). Everyone else? Tees shouting Illini, Spartan, Go Blue, Dartmouth, Loyola and more. Shorts in what I can assume were college colors. A runner wearing a bright yellow apron that I can only assume was his way of sporting his college pride. Another runner who wrapped a Berkeley flag around his neck and let it billow like a cape as he sprinted with a jogger stroller with a future member of Cal's class of 2033. So where was my purple pride? Where was my Northwestern tee, or rather, one of my many NU tees that I collected over the years? Back at home, buried in the drawer outnumbered by the race tees. And my excuse? It wasn't made of technical material. Here I am worried over how uncomfortable I could be during the 20-something minutes of a 5K instead of representing my school, and being one of the four alumni at the race (if I counted correctly in the race results).

Sunday, October 30, 2011

10 Easy Costumes You Can Run In

I'm not one of those people who create, design and plan their Halloween costumes far in advance. I'm lucky if I visit the costume shop for inspiration--or a cheap purchase--days before October 31. But even with costume procrastination, I can list dress-up suggestions, original or basic, for whatever fete lands on the calendar. Except ask me to devise, or even don, a costume for a running race, and most of my ideas go out the window. Why? Because they're all fitness-based and they don't seem all that original, unique or even costume worthy when you're dressed like nearly everyone else. Nor would they be easy to run in, a key component to any costume that I'd be likely to wear (I'm not out to win any costume awards at the races but I am a PR seeker). And for reason No. 3, any of the good costumes--an Indian chief, sock hop gal, Goofy and the Statue of Liberty--were costumes I wore before ninth grade and if they are still in existence, they are 300 miles away.

All things considered, I should have begged my sister to write about costumes conducive to running and share her knowledge from working wardrobe in theater productions. I might be creative with words but she has me beat hands down in the hands-on department. Instead, I'm going to have to rely on my own costume intuition for these 10 outfits.

Monday, October 24, 2011

The Daily Feed: Sites We're Surfing 10/24

Long weekend away from the computer? That's my excuse for some intense screen time this Monday. I know I should be pounding away at the emails in my inbox (sorry, people who I owe a reply) or writing up a storm (ahem, race reports that are long overdue), but instead what am I doing? Reading and tiring my eyes at the sight on online text. But hey, at least it's informative and/or insightful. Right?
  • Here's the skinny on a new company making yoga tees from sustainable materials from After5Detroit.com. Cool factor: this might just be my one and only chance--beside the Motor City Triathlon and the Detroit Marathon--where I show a little Detroit pride. The founder hails from the "Mitten" and took over my editing duties at our high school's newspaper (if memory serves me correct) when I graduated.
  • It almost wouldn't be a feed without something on one of our faves, Kara Goucher. And no, it's not the news bit that shocked me: leaving coach Alberto Salazar. It's Goucher's explanation for why she left Alberto Salazar and the Oregon Project.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Fit-Pic: Oh, What a Beautiful Morning



Is it possible that Chicago's lakefront could look this awesome in October? Apparently so, as I snapped this picture on my bike ride home from the Homecoming 5K. A calm lake, runners on the path, temperatures just warm enough to keep sweat at bay, sunshine with no clouds, and my personal favorite: no crowds. It's interesting how a pristine fall day doesn't elicit the same masses that flock to the lakefront on the first nice spring day. But hey, I'm not complaining. I only wish that my running legs had more in them than a 5K (note to self: do not ride mountain bike with flat tires to race site and do not get three hours of sleep regardless of race distance). With the month we've been having weather-wise, I'll be adding this memory to the vault. My eyes are going to need it in January and February, unless I'm out west skiing.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Healing Powers

It's hard to believe that six months ago I almost didn't make it to the Boston Marathon finish line. Not because I've had glorious races since that limp, hobble, shuffle kicked in at 10K when it became too much to try to run. Not because I already finished another marathon, another one that I probably wasn't supposed to start in the first place. And not because I can walk normally, practice yoga on two feet instead of my knees that saw more action May through July, swim without dragging my feet behind, and spin sitting down the entire class.

Operating at near normalcy, minus the lack of speed and endurance when running and cycling, I almost forgot about my injury. That might be stretching it a little--or a lot--since I'm reminded nearly every day that I did have a tibia stress fracture, I still find myself using it as an excuse when I sit on the bike or have a slow run, and friends ask me about my leg at least once a week (which, don't get me wrong, I appreciate). From a mental standpoint, I'd like to think that I forgot. Because I pushed the constant nagging, the "woe is me" sadness, the depression that hit when exercise came to a near stand-still, and whatever other emotion that seemed to envelop every email, conversation and work project into a secret dungeon in my brain where I locked the door, tossed the key and couldn't return.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Running is Better with Chocolate, Hot Chocolate

Isn’t there a saying about how the world is better with chocolate? I’d like to think that it’s true, but I’ll also stand by another statement: will run for chocolate. And yes, I will run for chocolate. I did it once before, thus earning myself a sweatshirt bearing that statement, and I’ll be doing it again at the Hot Chocolate 15/5K when it cruises into Chicago on November 5.

But this isn’t a repeat of past Hot Chocolate races that have been labeled too crowded, not enough chocolate or a so-so race jacket. There are so many changes to the 2011 edition, good changes, that are making the race seem entirely new in every aspect but the name. And I’m not even referring to the most obvious fact that the race has gone national, with Hot Chocolate races to run in Washington, D.C., Dallas, San Diego, San Francisco and Denver through December 2012. Nope. It’s the Chicago changes to look out for.

Mark that Race Date: Chicago 2012

Elites run Chicago on 10-10-10.
You came. You ran. You crossed the finish line at the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Now that the blisters, aches and sores--plus we can't forget jubilation, excitement, joy, insert-happy-emotion-here for accomplishing your goal--have subsided, you're starting to think you're not one-and-done with marathoning and that running Chicago 2012 might not be such a bad, or crazy, idea.

You came. You watched. You cheered. You handed out water to the runners rushing by. You got the itch, the motivation, to run Chicago's 26.2-miler next year. Forget being on the sidelines, you want to inspire the next batch of marathon wannabes.

But inquiring minds want to know: When is the 2012 race date for the Chicago Marathon? It's a question that's been stirring in our brains since before we even toed the 2011 start line or picked our perch along the city's streets. And now the organizers behind this 45,000-runner race are ready to tell us.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Fit-Pic: I Spy Biggest Losers

Can you guess who five of these pictured people are? A hint: two famous faces are standing together on the left and three famous faces are on the right. I know, I know, the picture is rather small, the faces are far away, and unless you're stalking weight loss TV as much as I do (yes, the majority of my TV schedule consists of The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition and I Used to Be Fat), you probably don't have a clue.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Dance Like a Ballerina

I don't own ballet shoes, I've never had a tutu and the only time you'll find me tuning into Dancing with the Stars is when my other TV options go on commercial--all of them. So what, then, was I doing at Equinox for a dance class? Because it's not every day that you can attend a group fitness class taught by professional Joffrey Ballet dancers. Even if you do trip over your own two feet, lack coordination and look about as graceful as a penguin walking across a room.

Equinox Fitness Clubs and The Joffrey Ballet have teamed up once again (they first partnered up in the spring) to offer a ballet-inspired group fitness class for the fall. Classes started October 5 and run through November 10 at two Equinox locations, 900 N. Michigan and Lincoln Park. Coinciding with The Joffrey's production of Don Quixote, which runs October 12-23, dancers will lead class-goers through a marriage of Spanish dance and Bolshoi ballet moves.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

There's No Stopping a Runner

Source
She didn't win Sunday's Bank of America Chicago Marathon. She didn't finish in the top 10 or qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. She didn't qualify for the Boston Marathon, she didn't break four hours and she didn't run the race with a visual impairment. But finisher Amber Miller is generating more post-marathon talk than the winners. She didn't just run the marathon, she ran it at nearly 39 weeks pregnant--and then delivered a baby girl, June, later in the evening.

I know, I know. Let your jaw drop. Blink twice and re-read. Furrow your brow. I did.

Your eyes aren't deceiving you, you're reading correctly. Chances are you've probably heard this story at least once already, since it seems to have started locally and then spread like wildfire from New York to Los Angeles. And it spread through some out-of-the-ordinary circles, too--the link was shared by my running friends and by my mommy friends. I should rephrase that: friends who are mommies.

Talk about two sides divided. The runners: amazed. The mommies: Is this mommy runner nuts? Do I not "get" runners?

My answer to the mommies: Miller's not that nuts, and maybe you don't understand how hard runners will push to reach the finish line of a race. I completely understand that there could be health implications and risks involved in running especially when you're that pregnant. I completely understand not getting the mommy angle because I've never held my own child in my arms. And I've only heard how painful running while pregnant can be--and why friends have pressed the pause button on running until after the baby arrives.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Look Who Won the 2011 Chicago Marathon

Heat, what heat? There was no stopping runners on their marathon mission this morning, from crossing the finish line to running personal bests, two feats that can often run awry is the weather is less-than-perfect for a 26.2-mile jaunt. If warm weather was supposed to slow down the runners taking to the streets for the 34th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon--or prevent them from toeing the line in the first place, which has happened (in say, 2007)--it never did. The weather didn't keep 35,628 runners from crossing the finish line, the second largest in event history, and with countless PRs to boot. And that personal-best pace was set early, with the elites achieving several records of their own.

In winning the men's race, Moses Mosop broke the tape in 2:05:37, breaking Sammy Wanjiru's 2009 course record by 4 seconds. And in winning the women's race, Liliya Shobukhova became the first athlete in Chicago Marathon history to win the race three consectutive times. Shobukhova accomplished some other feats with her 2:18:20 run, too: her time sets a new Russian national record, it's the second fastest women’s time in event history, and it's the fourth fastest women’s time ever run. This win also solidified her World Marathon Majors title and $500,000 prize.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Just Your Average Chicago Marathon Runner

A few weeks ago I was assigned to track down a handful of local runners who'd be toeing the line at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for Time Out Chicago and share their stories. Let's just say they were more than inspirational. Aside from being unable to find a costumed runner (if one of you is out there, please give a shout in the comments!), it turned into a very eclectic group. From first-timers to seasoned vets. From the joggler to the charity runners. From the Olympic hopefuls to the four Team World Vision runners who're turning race weekend into a 100-miler challenge (believe it or not, the 26.2-mile marathon is the final leg of their journey). You can read about theses runners at The Rundown, but keep reading for a few more motivational stories from those who'll be racing on October 9.
Gen Levy

Determinator
The marathon is a goal that Gen Levy couldn’t renege. “Naturally, the first thing a non-runner would think of would be to sign up for the Chicago Marathon, right?” the 32-year-old says. The first time marathoner can’t wait to cross the finish line as part of the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation team and is running the final 1.2 miles in memory of her step-mother. But she just hopes race day goes more smoothly than October 2’s dress rehearsal. “I realized as I was about to cross the start line at the Bucktown 5K that I had put my running capris on inside-out while getting ready in the dark,” she says. Oops.

But hey, we’re only human. Certainly another runner can own up to a goof like that. Right?

Bound for Boston
Chanthana Tsai
You don’t need to ask Chanthana Tsai if she’s ready to run. “I run because I like to push my body to its limits,” she says. “I really enjoy setting goals and watching the progress.” This Gold Coaster is more than prepared for her fourth run on the Chicago course—“I love this race!” she says. “It's so well-supported and I enjoy training for it in the summer.”—and she’s gunning for another Boston-qualifying time to boot. In fact, her goal time is Post-It noted to her fridge, on marathon stationary no less.

I have to confess, I wanted to share Will English's story before he toes the line for his first Chicago Marathon, but between my final carbo-load, organizing my race things (and spending too much time tinkering with my old Garmin), following the Ironman World Championship updates, and needing to get to bed, it's unfortunately going to have to wait for post-race. But in the meantime, you can follow his trail to the start line in part one, part two and part three.

Now it's off to bed. Signing off until after the 34th Bank of America Chicago Marathon is in the books.

Weather Woes

Chicago can't seem to get a break on the weather. At the Magellan Spring Half Marathon, it poured and had temperatures colder than what we'll see tomorrow at the Chicago Marathon. A few weeks later, the 13.1 Half had to be cancelled because the heat and humidity became too much for runners to handle. Triathletes competing at Ironman 70.3 Racine--one of the closest to the Windy City--thought they'd get a break from last year's heat, but no, it was just as relentless and maybe even worse.

But that's nothing compared to the city's marquee race, the Chicago Marathon. Columbus Weekend should signal cooler temperatures, yet for some reason Mother Nature gives us the exact opposite. 2007: hottest marathon on record. 2008: not as hot but still unbearable for many. 2009: if you could call temperatures at the start in the low 30s, then sure, this one was picture perfect. 2010: hot again with the event alert system changing from yellow to red as runners slogged through 26.2 miles. And 2011: sounds like it'll be a repeat of last year, which isn't bad per say, but makes it more difficult to run fast--and you're at greater risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and need to be diligent about hydrating before and during the race.

The marathon weather is such a concern that Weather.com thought to focus coverage on it. Ah, when marathoning meets mainstream, but if only it wasn't heat related.


What do you do to stay cool on a hot run, especially when it's a marathon? Are you worried about the temperatures affecting your marathon dreams?

Fit-Pic: Indian Summer

It's hard not to complain about 80 degrees and sunny in Chicago--in October, no less. But when the nicest week you've seen in a month falls during the rest period before the Chicago Marathon, it's really hard to resist resting indoors. You know the feeling? I wanted to be one of those dots laying in the sand, or running along my favorite path, or riding my bike since the crowds finally thinned out along the lake (yes, it does take a marathon only hours away to do that), or even swimming one final time in Lake Michigan (waters were calm, a jet-skier was out and at last check the water temperature was still in the 50s).

But instead, I--along with 44,999 other runners--found myself here at McCormick Place, site of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon's Health and Fitness Expo. That marathon that started to seem real nearly two weeks ago? It just got more tangible. To be expected when you cash in your confirmation ticket for your bib number. Too bad, it also signals to me that a beach nap would not be a good idea--it'd zap my energy that I'm already low on (lack of sleep) but frantically trying to store for Sunday. Am I right?

Please tell me yes and that I can wait until Monday's recovery day to get my beach time. It'll make the heat wave--and potential suffer-fest at the marathon--more worth it. Don't you think?

Friday, October 7, 2011

Elites to watch at the 2011 Chicago Marathon

McGrory, Frei, Mosop, Hall and Shobukova at press conference
When your mainstay marathon is a part of the World Marathon Majors race circuit, best described as a championship-style competition of five of the world's major marathons (Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin and London, plus the IAAF World Championships and the Olympics), it's expected that you're going to see some fast feet among the elites. I might miss them every year because I'm running, but when you're on the course when Paula Radcliffe sets a world record (or not, thanks to a recent decision, but that's another story), it helps quicken your pace. Add in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon's course, known for being flat and fast and delivering a world record or two over the years, and race director Carey Pinkowski who's been at the helm for more than 20 years, and the talent is practically begging to be invited. At the elite athlete press conference the athletes are beaming when they're introduced to the crowd and those who speak echo how excited they are to be racing in Chicago--it happens every year.

With that said, here's who you want to keep your eye on Sunday, October 9, when the 34th running of the Chicago Marathon kicks off from Grant Park.

Wolf Creek edges Arapahoe Basin in a Snow Battle

Arapahoe Basin's guns signal winter skiing full-steam ahead.
Some people are running marathons this weekend, sweating it out in cities--namely Chicago--that are finally seeing their Indian Summer. Others are racing at the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where it's always summer. But somewhere, somewhere, it's not 80 degrees and sunny--and for once, it's in just the right spot: ski country. Because while triathletes and runners compete in their A races, skiers can hit the slopes, or start to think winter at some of them.

It's all thanks to a western storm that dropped fluffy white snow instead of rain, and whose path basically ran through ski country. Snowboard Magazine showcases who's seen a dusting--or more since you can't really call 12 inches at Sierra-at-Tahoe a smattering of snow (well maybe you can in Tahoe)--in the last few days. But what its preview of La Niña round two doesn't tell you is something that could easily be surmised from the shots: that the ski season is beyond belief close to starting. Here's why:
Arapahoe Basin turns on its snowmaking machines.
  • Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado. They've seen so much snow that they're opening their terrain on Saturday, October 8, for a weekend of skiing (and at $33 a lift ticket). Oh yes, time to start waxing.
  • You know that battle between Loveland and Arapahoe Basin to be the first ski resort in Colorado and North America to open for the season? They're not the only two in the snow-making game. A-Basin turned on their snowguns at 4 p.m. October 6, but can they beat Wolf Creek? From the sound of The Basin 411, A-Basin will be making snow through the weekend before opening. 
  • What about Maine's Sunday River, also rumored to be gunning for an early start? Their guns were blazing amid the fall colors, hear them roar.
Only the next 24 hours will tell. Wolf Creek can taste victory dance, but can A-Basin open overnight? Anything's possible in snow wars, right? You can't help but ask if you're yearning for turning.

Photo credit Kimberly Trembearth.

    Thursday, October 6, 2011

    Niketown Pep Rally to #OwnChicago with Robbie Gould and Elite Athletes

    I spotted my first visiting runner this morning. The giveaway: a rolling suitcase, running shoes, capri leggings and a wandering eye. Banners are dotting the streets, hotel keys read Let's Run Together, the kick-off press conference occurred this morning and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon expo opens tomorrow. Chicago is most definitely embracing marathon fever all the way down to our Twitter accounts shouting #ownchicago.

    But maybe you're like me and know this race is happening on Sunday yet you're not totally fired up about it yet. My excuse? I wish I could be basking in this Indian Summer sun, desperately seeking my tan that faded in our September chill. Silly, yes. But there is a sure-fire way to turn the dial on my excitement meter from a one to a 10--it's an event that does it every year. The Niketown Pep Rally, happening tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Niketown Chicago, 669 N. Michigan Ave. And each year only improves upon the last. Here's why this one will top them all:

    Spa-ah! Equinox Marathon Massage

    It might seem a little presumptuous to start thinking about what you're doing after Sunday's 34th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. After all, we're still three days out from the race and crossing the finish line can still be up in the air--you know, in case you have to drop out, you get injured or the predicted 79-degree heat becomes too much on the body. But forget the negative what-ifs. You're determined to run 26.2 miles no matter what, and you know you'll be crossing that finish line on Columbus Drive, feeling your muscles burn and ache at least once on the course, craving a beer or other post-race treat once you regain your appetite and can eat more than gels and Gatorade.

    Back to those burning muscles. You're aching, you can barely walk, you're hobbling from point A to point B (trust me: I've been there). You want some relief and recovery, simple as that. Your method? Massage. It's good for recovery, it relaxes and softens your tired and overused muscles, and it'll pump oxygen through your overworked body--and that's just for starters. Here's a deal that you can't refuse: The Spa @ Equinox is offering 15 percent off all massage services to those who participated in the Chicago Marathon. They want to celebrate and congratulate your accomplishments, too, and they want you to feel even better in the process. To claim your reward, visit one of the four Equinox spa locations in the Chicago area: Highland Park, North Michigan, Lincoln Park or the Loop, and bring your marathon bib with you. This offer runs from October 10 to 16, so you won't have to rush over on Monday, especially if you're still relishing in your accomplishment and getting your medal engraved.

    Whether it's a sports, Swedish, shiatsu or deep tissue massage, I know my muscles will thank me later. And that's a reward I can run 26.2 miles for, or maybe it's the other way around.

    Photo courtesy of Equinox.

    Wednesday, October 5, 2011

    Marathoners Own Chicago


    You've put in the training. You've logged the miles. You've caught yourself ogling marathon gear more often than you should be on your computer. You've been dreaming of this weekend since you registered for the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in February. In other words, you're ready to own this race, own Chicago.

    And Nike wants you to do just that. Except the company known for its running shoes, gear, accessories and Chicago Marathon sponsorship doesn't expect it to happen through sporting official marathon gear. Even though wearing a Run Like El shirt is one of the easiest ways to accomplish owning Chicago, Nike has you beat with an even easier option. You don't even have to leave your computer to do it--or better yet your smartphone.

    Tuesday, October 4, 2011

    Age-groupers to watch and follow in Kona, Ironman World Championships

    Craig Alexander. Chris Lieto. Andreas Raelert. Chrissie Wellington. Mirinda Carfrae. Julie Dibens. I could go on--Faris Al-Sultan. And on--Caroline Steffen. And on--Linsey Corbin. Sure, we can all name a laundry list of professional triathletes who are racing at this year's Ironman World Championship, the big hoo-rah in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, but what about the age groupers, Ironman Foundation athletes and lottery winners in the mix?

    From age-group speedsters to friends and acquaintances who are racing on October 8 at the Big Dance, here's who I'll be following from my perch in middle America.

    Monday, October 3, 2011

    Race Without Trying: Bucktown 5K

    After crossing the Bucktown 5K finish line
    Bucktown: how I have missed you. Bucktown: you’ve changed…for the better. Bucktown: I think I might have to run you again…next year.

    I’m not sure how a less-than-23-minute race could be so memorable, yet it was. Actually all of the short efforts I’ve run since July—thought few and far between—have been. But what made this 5K different:
    • It must have been at least five years ago that I last ran this race. Correction: it was 2005, six years ago, and I was a first timer (but I felt like a course novice today, too).
    • I barely slept the night before and almost didn’t go—my bed was very cozy at 7:30 a.m.
    • I forgot how to dress for cooler weather running. Wake up to air temperatures claiming to be in the high 40s and I freak out, wear gear that’s ideal for standing in the cold but overheats the minute I start moving, and start feeling uncomfortable at the first mile. When you stand around the start corral and look at what others chose to wear for the race, you realize how many better options you left at home. Yes, arm warmers, pocket tank and lightweight Nike pullover, I’m talking to you.

    Sunday, October 2, 2011

    Nike's Chicago Marathon Gear, Where Art Meets Running

    One advantage to living in the city of the marathon you're going to participate in: you get to see to gear up close and personal before everyone else rolls into town and starts wandering their way through the expo and Niketown. So when you learn Saturday morning, by no one's fault but your own (the event was posted clear as day), that an event later that afternoon will provide an exclusive unveiling of Nike's 2011 Chicago Marathon gear and LunarGlide+ 3, you drop everything and run. Literally.

    And to AKIN's Lincoln Park location I went to see what all this hype was about. Who knew that an afternoon away from the stationary bike, elliptical and pool could be such a good thing? Not only to appease the gear junkie that takes up residence within any time an event rolls around, but also to see a celebration of running removed from its usual confines. Art, running, streetwear? When you're a runner like me and you're standing among an audience who look (and shoot pictures) like they high-tailed it from New York's Fashion Week, it's weird, but even I could appreciate meeting local artist Tara D., who designed the 2011 Chicago shoe and T-shirt featured below and got even cooler when she stopped crafting to talk about how she designed these marathon wares.
    Because I didn't expect her to say, "I don't know any runners at all." Wait, what? Since she couldn't reach out to friends to learn about Chicago running, she says that she reached out to the community and started studying at the running stores. And I'm not trying to be presumptuous in saying this--I swear something to this effect was expressed--but she married these two small local communities together, the proof was laying on the table.

    Whether you're starting to virtually shop for Chicago Marathon goodies before you arrive into town and attend the expo or you locals want to beat the rush and purchase your marathon wish list now, here are more items to add to the roster. Without further ado, the 2011 collection as seen at AKIN.

    Nike LunarGlide+ 3 and Dry Fit Tee designed by Tara D.

    Saturday, October 1, 2011

    Nike and Akin Unveil Chicago Marathon Gear and Lunarglide+3

    How did I not know about this event until, oh, just now?

    http://www.akinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/chicago-lunarglide-3-13.jpg

    I've always thought that I stay on top of at least some of the running action in Chicago and that I'm a reporter, considering I also run with the media team (we'll be out tomorrow at the Bucktown 5K and you've seen some of us throughout the spring and summer at the Soldier Field 10, Elvis is Alive and Fort2Base). I'm nowhere near as recognizable as my media teammates--trust me, I can arrive and depart pretty anonymously, just how I like it--yet I still find and report on the endurance community's news.

    But apparently I missed the boat on this release until now. Sure, I got to run in the Lunarglide+3 two weeks before it was officially unveiled--awesome!--and learn about the Nike 26.2 Preview before it actually happened and see some of the 2011 Chicago Marathon gear fresh on the shelves (Fleet Feet had it on display when I stopped by last Saturday). But this? I think I'm rearranging my Saturday schedule--aka workout--to go check it out. The gear is awesome as Fleet Feet already showed me. I need a little running kick in the pants. My run that was supposed to happen this morning hasn't started yet and at the rate I'm going, probably will not. And heck, it beats watching my college football team get beat down on the field.

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